DOT awards $8.87M for STARS sustainment, with final contractor support for system engineering and program management

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $8,868,940 ($8.9M)

Contractor: Oasis Systems, LLC

Awarding Agency: Department of Transportation

Start Date: 2021-09-23

End Date: 2027-12-31

Contract Duration: 2,290 days

Daily Burn Rate: $3.9K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS

Sector: Other

Official Description: PROVIDE STARS SUSTAINMENT 1 FINAL FUNDING TO HSI CONTRACT DTFAWA-12-D-00011/TASK ORDER 20 FOR FINAL CONTRACTOR SUPPORT FOR SYSTEM ENGINEERING, SCHEDULING, STRATEGIC PLANNING, JRC ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT, AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT.

Place of Performance

Location: WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA County, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 20590

State: District of Columbia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Transportation obligated $8.9 million to OASIS SYSTEMS, LLC for work described as: PROVIDE STARS SUSTAINMENT 1 FINAL FUNDING TO HSI CONTRACT DTFAWA-12-D-00011/TASK ORDER 20 FOR FINAL CONTRACTOR SUPPORT FOR SYSTEM ENGINEERING, SCHEDULING, STRATEGIC PLANNING, JRC ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT, AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT. Key points: 1. Contract focuses on critical system engineering, scheduling, strategic planning, and program management for the STARS system. 2. The contract is structured as a Time and Materials (T&M) award, which can pose cost control challenges. 3. A duration of 2290 days (over 6 years) indicates a long-term need for these sustainment services. 4. The award is a delivery order under a larger OASIS contract, suggesting a pre-competed framework. 5. The contract is not set aside for small businesses, indicating a focus on larger prime contractors. 6. The geographic location is Washington D.C., a hub for federal agency operations.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The contract's value of $8.87 million over approximately six years for engineering and program management services appears reasonable given the scope. However, the Time and Materials (T&M) pricing structure warrants close monitoring to ensure costs remain within projected limits. Benchmarking against similar long-term sustainment contracts for complex federal systems would provide a clearer picture of value for money. Without specific performance metrics or detailed cost breakdowns, a definitive value assessment is challenging.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

This contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating that all responsible sources were permitted to submit offers. The specific competition details, such as the number of bidders and the evaluation process, are not provided in the summary data. Full and open competition generally promotes price discovery and allows the government to select the best value offer.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers benefit from full and open competition through potentially lower prices and access to a wider range of innovative solutions.

Public Impact

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) benefits from continued system engineering, scheduling, strategic planning, and program management for the STARS system. This contract ensures the ongoing operational effectiveness and sustainment of a critical federal system. The primary geographic impact is within Washington D.C., where the contract is managed and likely where key personnel are located. The contract supports specialized technical and program management roles within the federal workforce.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Time and Materials (T&M) contract type can lead to cost overruns if not closely managed.
Long contract duration (over 6 years) requires sustained oversight to ensure continued relevance and value.
Lack of specific performance metrics in the provided data makes it difficult to assess contractor performance proactively.

Positive Signals

Awarded under full and open competition, suggesting a competitive bidding process.
Contract is a delivery order under a larger, likely pre-competed, OASIS contract, potentially streamlining acquisition.
Focus on critical system sustainment indicates a recognized and ongoing need for these services.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the Engineering Services sector, specifically supporting federal IT and program management functions. The market for federal IT sustainment and program management is substantial, with numerous large and small businesses competing for these long-term engagements. The OASIS contract vehicle itself represents a significant government-wide procurement mechanism for professional services, indicating a structured approach to acquiring such support.

Small Business Impact

The data indicates this contract was not set aside for small businesses (ss: false, sb: false). This suggests that the primary award went to a large business or that subcontracting opportunities for small businesses were not a specific requirement of this particular delivery order. Further analysis of the OASIS contract's subcontracting plan would be needed to understand the broader impact on the small business ecosystem.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would typically be managed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) contracting officer and program managers. As a delivery order under a larger IDIQ contract (OASIS), there are established oversight mechanisms within the OASIS program. Transparency is generally facilitated through contract award databases, but detailed performance reporting and specific oversight activities are internal to the agency.

Related Government Programs

STARS Program
OASIS Contract Vehicle
Federal Aviation Administration IT Services
System Engineering Support Contracts
Program Management Support Contracts

Risk Flags

Time and Materials contract type requires close monitoring for cost control.
Lack of specific performance metrics in summary data hinders objective performance assessment.
Contractor's specific past performance details not provided in summary data.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Transportation awarded $8.9 million to OASIS SYSTEMS, LLC. PROVIDE STARS SUSTAINMENT 1 FINAL FUNDING TO HSI CONTRACT DTFAWA-12-D-00011/TASK ORDER 20 FOR FINAL CONTRACTOR SUPPORT FOR SYSTEM ENGINEERING, SCHEDULING, STRATEGIC PLANNING, JRC ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT, AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT.

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is OASIS SYSTEMS, LLC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Transportation (Federal Aviation Administration).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $8.9 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2021-09-23. End: 2027-12-31.

What is the historical spending pattern for STARS sustainment and related services by the FAA?

Analyzing historical spending for the STARS program and similar FAA IT sustainment contracts is crucial for context. While this specific delivery order is for $8.87 million, understanding the total investment in STARS over previous years, including prior contracts for system engineering, program management, and operational support, would reveal trends. For instance, has spending increased or decreased? Are there patterns of cost overruns or efficiencies? Comparing this award to previous contract values for similar services can highlight whether this represents a typical investment, an increase, or a decrease in funding for STARS sustainment. Without access to historical FAA procurement data specifically for STARS, a precise analysis is not possible, but such a review would inform future budgeting and contractor performance evaluations.

How does the Time and Materials (T&M) pricing structure for this contract compare to industry best practices for similar services?

Time and Materials (T&M) contracts are often used when the scope of work is not clearly defined or is expected to change. While flexible, T&M contracts carry a higher risk of cost overruns compared to fixed-price contracts. For system engineering, scheduling, strategic planning, and program management, industry best practices often favor firm-fixed-price or cost-plus-fixed-fee structures for well-defined tasks to ensure cost predictability. However, for emergent needs or highly technical, evolving support, T&M can be appropriate if coupled with stringent oversight, labor hour limitations, and clear task definitions. The FAA's choice of T&M here suggests either a need for flexibility or a potential gap in defining the full scope upfront. Benchmarking against other T&M contracts for similar federal services would reveal if the proposed rates and estimated costs are competitive.

What is the track record of OASIS SYSTEMS, LLC in performing similar federal contracts, particularly within the FAA or DOT?

Assessing the track record of OASIS SYSTEMS, LLC is vital for understanding their capability to deliver on this $8.87 million contract. Information on their past performance, including successful completion of similar system engineering, program management, and IT sustainment contracts for federal agencies, particularly the FAA or Department of Transportation, would be key. This includes examining contract close-out data, any past performance reviews (e.g., CPARS), and any history of disputes or contract terminations. A strong performance history suggests a lower risk of delivery issues and cost overruns. Conversely, a history of subpar performance or unresolved issues would raise concerns about the successful execution of this current award and the value for money provided to taxpayers.

What are the specific performance metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) associated with this contract?

The provided data does not specify the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) or performance metrics for this contract. For a contract focused on system engineering, scheduling, strategic planning, and program management, effective KPIs could include metrics related to on-time delivery of milestones, quality of deliverables (e.g., accuracy of plans, completeness of reports), adherence to budget, system uptime/availability improvements, or successful implementation of strategic initiatives. Without defined KPIs, it is challenging to objectively measure the contractor's performance and ensure the government is receiving the best value. The absence of explicit metrics in the summary data suggests that a detailed review of the full contract document is necessary to ascertain accountability and assess the contractor's contribution to the STARS system's success.

How does the total estimated value of this delivery order compare to the overall value of the parent OASIS contract?

This delivery order is valued at $8.87 million. The OASIS (One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services) contract is a government-wide Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract vehicle designed to provide a broad range of professional services. The total ceiling value for the OASIS program across all pools and contract types is substantial, often in the tens of billions of dollars. Therefore, this $8.87 million delivery order represents a relatively small portion of the overall OASIS program's potential value. This context is important because it indicates that the FAA is utilizing a pre-established, large-scale contract vehicle, which typically streamlines the acquisition process and leverages existing competition frameworks, rather than initiating a new, standalone procurement for these services.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services › Engineering Services

Product/Service Code: SUPPORT SVCS (PROF, ADMIN, MGMT) › PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS (Y)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 200 SUMMIT DR, BURLINGTON, MA, 01803

Business Categories: Category Business, Limited Liability Corporation, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $16,049,356

Exercised Options: $8,868,940

Current Obligation: $8,868,940

Actual Outlays: $8,102,166

Contract Characteristics

Multi-Year Contract: Yes

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: 693KA921D00004

IDV Type: IDC

Timeline